NFL DRAFT: Work complete, Stankiewitch hopes to see fruits of labor

david mckeown/staff photo
Matt Stankiewitch, left, blocks Wisconsin's Stephen Salata during the final game of his Penn State career last November. Stankiewitch, a center, hopes to hear his name called during this weekend's NFL Draft.

associated press
Penn State center and Blue Mountain graduate Matt Stankiewitch participates in the NFL Scouting Combine in February. Stankiewitch hopes to hear his name called during this weekend's NFL Draft.

STATE COLLEGE - The weightlifting. The running. The rigorous workouts of agility and flexibility exercises. Adhering to a strict, healthy diet.

For Matt Stankiewitch, months and months of training have come down to this weekend.

The former Blue Mountain and Penn State standout offensive lineman will sit and wait this weekend to hear his name called during the three-day NFL Draft.

Held in Radio City Music Hall in New York City, the NFL Draft begins tonight (8, ESPN) with the first round, continues Friday (6:30 p.m., ESPN/ESPN 2) with the second and third rounds, then concludes Saturday (noon, ESPN/ESPN 2) with Rounds 4-7.

It is uncertain if Stankiewitch will be selected by one of the 32 teams during the seven-round, 254-pick process. He's ranked as either the No. 7 or No. 8 center prospect in the draft by various recruiting services and sports websites.

Scout.com has the 6-foot-2.75, 302-pounder listed as the No. 236 overall prospect. NFL.com graded Stankiewitch at 52.1, putting him in

the "Draftable Player, Rounds 4-7" category. NFL.com draft expert Josh Harris, however, does not have Stankiewitch selected in his complete, seven-round mock draft.

If the Orwigsburg native is drafted, he would be the first Schuylkill County player selected since Pottsville's John Flannery and Marian's Sean Love were both taken in the 1991 NFL Draft. Flannery was chosen in the second round (44th overall) by the Houston Oilers, while Love was picked in the 10th round (264th overall) by the Dallas Cowboys.

"Everyone grows up hoping to see their name picked," Stankiewitch said from his apartment in State College. "If that happens, that would be awesome.

"You have to stay positive throughout the whole process. It's not the end of the world if I don't get drafted. I believe I can play in the NFL, and my coaches believe I can. NFL coaches and scouts think I can as well.

"You have to keep that in your head. You can't be negative. You have to be positive."

Stankiewitch's draft status depends on teams' analysis of a horde of data NFL scouts and offensive line coaches have collected since Penn State concluded its 2012 season last November with a dramatic win over Wisconsin.

Stankiewitch participated in the NFL Scouting Combine in February in Indianapolis, where he was weighed, measured, interviewed and completed a bevy of physical skill and agility tests. He participated in Penn State's Pro Day on March 11 at Holuba Hall, where he was once again weighed, measured and tested.

For Stankiewitch, going through the interview process, letting teams and coaches meet him and get to know him, was the biggest thing.

"I know my numbers aren't flashy," Stankiewitch said. "I'm not the fastest guy, I don't bench press the most, but my numbers were solid. For offensive linemen, it's mostly pass/fail in these events, and I had no red flags.

"For me, the interviews, sitting down with offensive line coaches, were the key. I felt that if they got to know me, see me, hear me talk and how much I know about the game of football, that's a big benefit that I would have."

Stankiewitch said the interviews ranged from off-the-wall questions, questions about his family and background and tactical questions. Stankiewitch has never had a brush with the law and didn't have any injuries the past two seasons at Penn State. Those were both plusses.

"Offensive line coaches would give you a piece of paper and ask you draw up a play," Stankiewitch said. "Then they'd ask you, what happens if this guy blitzes, what happens if this guy blitzes, what happens if this guy stunts â¦ as a center, you had to have quick answers.

"I'm a competitor, and I wanted my numbers to be the best, but I realize they weren't the best. I did the best possible I could do. I'm in the best shape of my life, I'm flexible, strong and I have low body fat. I feel very good about myself.

"In the airport on the way back I was delirious because I was so tired. I did everything I could do to make an impression."

Stankiewitch has spent the past five months in State College, working out with Penn State's Craig Fitzgerald and several of his PSU teammates at Holuba Hall on a daily basis to increase strength, flexibility and keep in shape.

He lives in an apartment in the State College area owned by his agent, Edward Johnson of the Maryland-based Eastern Athletic Services, allowing him to save money and utilize the Penn State facilities. Among the former Penn State players living in the complex is current Oakland Raiders lineman Stefan Wisniewski.

The two have developed a great bond over the years after playing side-by-side during Stankiewitch's freshman and sophomore seasons.

"Stefan, my agent, my father, they've told me all the time that it's possible I won't get drafted, and it's possible that I will," Stankiewitch said. "Either or, it's not how you start, it's how you finish. It's what you do with your career.

"Right now, 40 percent of the active centers in the NFL were free agents out of college and weren't drafted. Only 5-6 centers in each draft get drafted. It's not a big number like offensive tackles."

Stankiewitch said he's been contacted by 18, 19, 20 teams over the last two weeks, mostly to just touch base, make sure contact numbers are the same, if he's been in trouble with the law and if he's suffered any injuries since the combine.

The Seahawks and Vikings called Monday, Stankiewitch said. The only team he's worked out for individually was the New England Patriots, who sent their offensive line coach to Penn State two weeks ago to put him through more tests and drills.

Several of the teams that have called Stankiewitch have also said that if he wasn't taken in the draft that they would be interested in signing him to a free-agent contract and inviting him to training camp.

That scenario worked perfectly for Southern Columbia graduate Henry Hynoski, who wasn't taken in the 2011 draft, signed a free agent deal with the New York Giants and ended up winning the Super Bowl as a rookie.

"I'll play for any team that drafts me," Stankiewitch said. "Any team that drafts me, I'll have 100 percent loyalty to and work as hard as I can to be an impact player on that team.

"If you don't get drafted, you have the power to go where ever you want. I may have multiple offers from teams, and I'll pick the one that gives me the best chance to make that team."

Stankiewitch will return to his parents' home in Orwigsburg on Saturday, where he'll gather with his dad Michael, mom Lisa, brother Mike and an array of friends and family in anticipation of having an NFL team call and seeing his name flash across the television screen.

He also knows that may not happen. While it would be a letdown, he said, he knows it's not the end of the road.

"It's a celebration of people who have helped me get to where I am," Stankiewitch said. "It's a celebration for them, all of our family to get together and see each other, a happy time.

"Everyone knows the situation. They know the later rounds is when I could be picked, but you never know."

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